In the northern United States and Canada the sap of hard maple trees (Acer Saccharinum) is a source of sugar, largely sucrose, but containing impurities that impart a delicate flavor. Maple sap containing 2-3% sugar as it comes from the tree has no maple flavor and no color. The characteristic flavor and maple color result from reactions that occur when maple sap is evaporated and concentrated to the syrup form by boiling. For conventional maple sugar production, concentration is carried to the graining point to produce a soft brown "whole sugar," that is, the syrup and sugar crystals are allowed to form a solid mass without separation.
Commercial maple syrup typically has about a 66.degree. Brix with water activity of 0.83-0.85 and is very susceptible to yeast and mold contamination. Also, since maple syrup is readily fermentable, it must be stored under very restricted conditions.
Block maple sugar is a traditional product of the maple syrup industry. However, block maple sugar is unstable during a long period of storage and is costly to produce. Further, production of maple syrup from block maple sugar requires grinding and/or crushing by potential users, many of whom do not have the necessary equipment. As a result, there is a need for a maple sugar product better suited for shipment and storage in bulk quantities and more readily convertible into maple syrup.
Maple sugar in a granulated free-flowing form would be useful in many applications as a maple flavorant. However, conventional granulated maple sugar readily takes up and retains moisture, i.e. cakes, on standing, and therefore, has not been especially useful. An anti-caking agent such as micronized silica could be incorporated to prevent caking, but most anti-caking agents impart undesirable characteristics, such as turbidity and poor dispersibility, in the finished product. Thus, there has been a need for a maple sugar product in a granulated form which is free-flowing and non-caking.